Potting

Repotting oncidiums can be daunting because they often become root bound when their thin, fragile roots become so tightly packed that they become impossible to separate. A root-bound oncidium isn’t necessarily an immediate concern if the plant is still flowering and not showing any signs of ill health. However, the longer you wait, the more […]

It can be confusing – sometimes it’s called “pine bark”, sometimes “fir bark” or even “orchid bark”.  Most people use the terms interchangeably, but their differences are quite significant especially when it comes to potting up your orchids, bonsai, and other houseplants. What exactly are the differences? Fir bark is a better growing substrate than

Bark is commonly used as a growing medium for epiphytic orchids. Should you sterilize it and other growing substrates prior to use or reuse? You should sterilize used bark and moss only when it was previously with an orchid with rot issues, pests, or fungal infection. Otherwise, new bark from the bag should not be

If you have not repotted your orchid for over two years, chances are your orchid is “root-bound” or “pot-bound”, with a lot of roots packed inside the pot and growing out of the pot through the drainage hole and the ventilation slits on the side.  If you grow your orchids in terracotta pots, you may

Growing roots is not difficult even for a sick orchid that has lost its roots to root rot or overwatering. To encourage an orchid to grow roots, you only need to provide two conditions: warm temperature and moisture (but not too much) at the base of the stem.  Also, a kelp and seaweed extract that

More and more people are switching from the conventional moss and bark media to inorganic media to grow orchids, especially in a semi-hydroponics setup, to reduce the hassle of regular repotting, the cost of replacing media, and the risk of root rot due to decomposed media. Which type of inorganic media is the best for

LECA and Seramis are becoming increasingly popular as inorganic media for growing orchids in a semi-hydroponic setup.  But what is the difference between the two and which is better for growing orchids? While both are baked clay, LECA has less than half the water absorption and retention capacity than Seramis. A LECA-only substrate can leave

Are you worried about watering your orchids when you travel?  Or, do you tend to overwater them?  Try growing your orchids in self-watering pots. A self-watering pot can supply constant moisture to the roots of a plant automatically through a wick by drawing water up from a reservoir to the medium.  It is easy and

If your orchids ever had rotten roots before, you must know what “stringy roots” are.  Those are string-like pith or stele with a small diameter that is left behind after slipping off the brown rotten, mushy covering on the outside of a root.  When you repot such an orchid, you may want to know:  Should

You are not alone; many of us have thought about reusing sphagnum moss for repotting orchids or propagating plant cuttings.  This is because buying new ones can be quite expensive. What’s more, we have also heard of some people having success reusing them. So, can you reuse sphagnum moss?  The short answer is: It’s not